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Jonesboro Police Chief resigns

(Resignation letter courtesy of KAIT.)

Three days after being suspended without pay for comments he made about a reporter on Facebook, Jonesboro Police Chief Michael Yates has resigned.  The Sun newspaper reports Yates submitted his resignation letter to Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin yesterday.  In the letter, he reportedly stated that “the present circumstances dictate” that he must leave the force.  He acknowledged that he said things about Sun reporter Sunshine Crump that was unacceptable.  On Friday, Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin suspended Yates for 30 days without pay.  The Sun reports that Crump will return to work after she resigned citing harassment by the police chief as the primary reason. Perrin states Assistant Police Chief Tim Eads is the acting police chief until the position can be permanently filled.

Here is a copy of the resignation letter.

Dear Mayor Perrin,

After careful and prayerful consideration concerning my position as Chief of Police I feel that the present circumstances dictate that I must resign my position effective August 25, 2014. I have faithfully served this community for more than 9 years and I think the Department has come a long way, but, as you know, a man must take responsibility for his mistakes and I am prepared to do just that. I let my anger and pride override my judgment and wisdom by saying a number of things that are unacceptable given my position. I love this community and the men and women of the Jonesboro Police Department and will continue to support both wherever this path may lead. 

Lastly, let me express my most sincere gratitude to you and my supporters as we navigated this series of problems but I feel that this matter has evolved beyond what can be rectified.

Thank you and God Bless this City, Michael F. Yates"

Johnathan Reaves is the News Director for KASU Public Radio. As part of an Air Force Family, he moved to Arkansas from Minot, North Dakota in 1986. He was first bitten by the radio bug after he graduated from Gosnell High School in 1992. While working on his undergraduate degree, he worked at KOSE, a small 1,000 watt AM commercial station in Osceola, Arkansas. Upon graduation from Arkansas State University in 1996 with a degree in Radio-Television Broadcast News, he decided that he wanted to stay in radio news. He moved to Stuttgart, Arkansas and worked for East Arkansas Broadcasters as news director and was there for 16 years.